abaya

American  

[uh-bey-yuh] / əˈbeɪ yə /

noun

1. a coarse, felted fabric woven of camel's or goat's hair.

2. a loose, sleeveless outer garment made of this fabric or of silk, worn by Arabs.

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abaya British  

/ əˈbaɪə /

noun

1. a long black long-sleeved robe worn by Muslim women in Arabic-speaking countries, often with a headscarf or veil

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Etymology

Origin of abaya

First recorded in 1805–15; from Arabic ʿabā'(ah)

Example Sentences

"I love Israel so much," she said, smiling in her head-to-toe black abaya.

From Barron's

Some post photos of themselves in traditional Saudi dress: for men a thobe and headdress, for women an abaya and headscarf.

From The Wall Street Journal

More than a hundred women crowded in - so many there weren't enough chairs - many wearing black abayas and headscarves.

From BBC

Among the eager takers were Emirati students and engineers — the men in the long white robe known as a thobe, the women in abayas.

From Los Angeles Times

He recalls once “making a scene” when he saw a student wearing an abaya over pajamas — the student code prohibits the latter alongside shorts and revealing necklines.

From Seattle Times